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Preparing the Local Plan

Background to the Local Plan

Up until 2011, we were working on a plan in accordance with the relevant planning regulations and national planning policies that were in place at that time. They required councils to prepare a ‘Local Development Framework’ (LDF) containing a series of planning documents that, together, would form the plan for the area. Following the government’s introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework and revisions to the planning regulations in 2012, we chose to proceed with a single ‘Local Plan’ with an additional Development Plan Document for the Tendring, Colchester Borders Garden Community in conjunction with Colchester Borough Council.

Evidence gathering

We have prepared and commissioned several technical studies on housing, employment, infrastructure, retail, habitats, flood risk and other subjects. We have also been meeting and exchanging information with partner organisations such as Essex County Council, Braintree District Council, Colchester Borough Council, the Environment Agency, Natural England, Historic England, the NHS, Highways England and others, to understand some of the district’s social, economic, physical, environmental and infrastructure limitations and to formulate some sensible options for future growth. View the technical studies here.

North Essex Garden Communities Project

The North Essex Garden Communities project has the potential to be one of the most important projects of its type in the country. At this stage the councils involved are developing business cases as well as a range of supporting evidence for each of the proposed new communities. To support this process the councils (Braintree District Council, Colchester Borough Council, Tendring District County, Essex County Council) commissioned a review by Lord Kerslake, previously head of the Civil Service and former Chief Executive of the Homes and Community Agency and a dedicated team of experts from a range of relevant disciplines.

The review highlighted a number of areas of strength, and made a number of recommendations on the delivery of the scheme, and the councils are now jointly developing an action plan to move the project forward.